RootsTech – The Bling!...

Genealogy conference bling is something that I first learnt about at RootsTech 2013 as it’s not something that we do in Australia, though I’d love it if the idea was picked up, but somehow I doubt it. Anyway I find that the conference bling is part of what makes the conference so much fun. Blogger beads, conference ribbons, badges (or buttons at the US folk like to call them), and ever wristbands it’s all part of it! And here’s my stash of conference bling from RootsTech 2015 … And I also have to find room for these three t-shirts in my suitcase … And although not “bling”, I wanted to share with you the books that are making it home with me as well … 1. Mind Maps for Genealogy: Enhanced Research Planning, Correlation, and Analysis by Ron Arons 2. Fashionable Folks: Bonnets and Hats 1840-1900 by Maureen Taylor 3. Elements of Genealogical Analysis: How to Maximise Your Research by Robert Charles Anderson So with the bling, the t-shirts and the books, I may have to pay for an extra suitcase or excess luggage. But it was totally worth...

Honouring My Ancestors with a Touch of Bling...

Let’s start off by saying I LOOOOOOOVE jewellery. Apart from genealogy and chocolate, jewellery is a passion of mine. It all started when I was about 10 or so when an auntie gave me a beautiful silver necklace, which I wore day in and day out. This one necklace has since been replaced by a whole stash of necklaces, rings, and bracelets. And when I travel rather than buy souvenirs from the places I visit, I tend to buy jewellery. At least its small enough to bring home easily enough. Anyway I found a site that combines my love of genealogy and jewellery. So naturally I helped the economy by doing some online shopping. And now I want to share with  you what I bought …. The www.mynamenecklace.com.au website  is one of those places that you can order jewellery from and get it customised to have your kids names on it. Well I ordered a bracelet, but rather than get my furkids names put on it, I chose to put my ancestors surnames instead. Well, my four grandparents lines anyway – Hannaford, Randell, Winter, Phillips, and to top it off it has the Tree of Life in the centre. I’m so thrilled with my new bracelet that I have already ordered another one as well as a necklace. On those I’m getting the words Genealogy. Past. Present. Future. put on them, which should be cool. Anyway when they arrive, I’ll have pics on my Facebook page. They’re my Christmas presents from me to me (we all have those don’t we)? I don’t normally write about companies, but I chose to do so in case any of you also have a love of jewellery and wanted to do something customised...

Conference Bling from RootsTech 2013...

If anyone wants to know why my suitcase was overweight on my return flight from RootsTech (and yes it was!!!), it may have had something to do with all the bling and other bits I collected while over in the US. Apart from the enormity of the whole conference, and seeing the completely different demographic of it all (so techy-minded, and so much younger than conference I’ve been to in Oz), something else that I learnt and experienced was the ‘bling’ that went with it. Admittedly not everyone was into it, but I was there for the experience and take it all in, so I embraced it, and here’s  my RootsTech bling. So let me explain the bits in the photo above. Starting in the top lefthand corner: The official RootsTech lanyard with nametag with some extra badges that I was given added to it. Next are my two lots of geneablogger beads. The black and silver one was the official one for all geneabloggers there (all 85 or so of us), while the green and purple was was given to the Aussie geneabloggers as it has palmtrees and thongs (aka flip-flops in the US) on it. The last item on the top was my RootsTech exhibitor bracelet. I had to wear this so I was allowed in and out of the exhibitor hall prior to RootsTech actually opening. The bright red item is a t-shirt that was available for sale at RootsTech that I had to buy: Eat. Drink. Sleep. Connect.  (and it was a bargain at only US$10). The last item is my Conference ribbons. This is not something I’ve ever encountered before, but seems to well enough known in the US. A number of exhibitors have...